Effect of Processing Packaging and Vibration Treatment on the Sensory Quality of Fresh-

cut Apple Slices

By M Siddiq1 J B Harte1 S P Singh2 A A Khan1 K D Dolan13 and K Saha4

1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition Michigan State University East Lansing MI 48824 USA

2School of Packaging Michigan State University East Lansing MI 48824 USA

3Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Michigan State University East Lansing MI 48824

USA

4Packaging Program Industrial Technology Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo CA 93407 USA

SUMMARY

Fresh-cut fruit industry has seen tremendous growth in recent years The present study was

designed with the objective of studying the sensory quality of fresh-cut apple slices that were

treated with different antibrowning agents packed in three types of packaging materials and

subjected to vibration treatment to simulate commercial transportation The slices were treated

with two commercial antibrowning agents [NatureSeal (Mantrose-Haeuser Co Inc Westport

CT USA) and Ever-Fresh (Kraft Foods Inc Rye Brook NY USA)] at 5 (wv) application

rate The treated slices were packaged in 5 oz polystyrene rigid container 2 lb polyethylene bag

or 2 oz polyethylene bag A nine-member trained panel and a 100-member consumer panel

evaluated the treated slices for selected sensory attributes The trained sensory small panel

found minimal difference in the fresh-cut slices in comparison with the control (non-vibrated)

sample with the slices treated with NatureSeal better in quality than those treated with Ever-

Fresh Case positions (bottom middle or top) within the vibration stack did not affect the

quality of the slices significantly similar results were found from the consumer panel sensory

evaluation The consumer panel evaluation results showed that the slices treated with

NatureSeal were better in sensory attributes of colour texture flavour and overall acceptability

Overall package type had no or minimal effect on the slice quality attributes

KEY WORDS fresh-cut slices apple transport vibration packaging sensory quality

INTRODUCTION

Fresh-cut produce is defined as any fresh fruit or vegetable or any combination thereof that has

been physically altered from its original form but remains in a fresh state1 Fresh-cut produce

also called lsquominimally processedrsquo has two main purposes (a) keeping the produce fresh by

extending its shelf life without losing its nutritional and sensory quality or compromising

product safety and (b) ensuring a product shelf life that is sufficient to make its distribution

feasible within the region of its consumption23 Fresh-cut produce is one of the fastest growing

segments of the food industry in the USA4

Quality factors for fresh-cut products include visual appearance (freshness colour defects and

decay) texture or firmness flavour nutritive value and microbial safety56 Many of these

quality attributes are susceptible to negative change during shipping and distribution channels

From the consumersrsquo perspective colour or appearance is the most important quality if the

colour of a fresh-cut product is not attractive or of acceptable quality the consumer is less

likely to purchase it regardless of its excellent texture flavour taste or other quality attributes7

Therefore in addition to acceptable physicochemical properties high level of sensory quality is

a prerequisite for successful marketing of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables

Post-processing distribution logistics for fresh-cut apples present significant challenges in

maintaining the optimum quality In the USA most of the processors are located near the

centres of crop production and processed products are shipped as far as 2000 miles by the

national processors8 In addition to the processing operations fresh-cut products are also

subjected to stress during the physical action of transportation such as continuous vibration

Most of the past studies on fresh-cut apple slices have focused on the determination of

instrumental colour sensory or microbial quality as affected by antibrowning or sanitizer

treatments9-12 whereas vibration impact studies have focused mainly on the whole13-15 package

performance or optimization1617 and vibration dynamic or models1819 However there is little if

any documentation on the effect of vibration impact during transportation on the sensory

quality and the consumer preferences for fresh-cut apple slices in different types of packages

Our objective was to investigate the impact of simulated transportation and package type on the

sensory quality of fresh-cut apple slices pre-treated with two antibrowning treatments

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Empire apples treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) an ethylene inhibitor and stored

under controlled atmosphere conditions for approximately 8 months were purchased locally

These apples were harvested at the same maturity stage The reason for using 8 month stored

apples was that the fruit must store well and be available throughout the year to meet the fresh-

cut processorsrsquo demand

Slice processing

Apples were washed using tap water and then dipped in Fruit amp Vegetable Wash (SC Johnson

Professional Sturtevant WI USA) for 5 min at a concentration to yield 160 ppm of available

chlorine Apples were then sliced using an automatic corerslicer (Bock Engineered Products

Inc Toledo OH USA) with a 10-cut blade Cut slices were dipped in the antibrowning

treatment solutions (5 g 100 mlminus1) for ~30 s The antibrowning treatments used were NatureSeal

calcium salt of ascorbic acid and Ever-Fresh with ascorbic and citric acids as main ingredients

NatureSeal is a widely used antibrowning treatment11 whereas Ever-Fresh is used in food

service applications The treated apple slices were packaged in 5 oz polystyrene (PS) rigid

container 2 lb polyethylene (PE) bag or 2 oz PE bag Table 1 shows package weights packages

per case and case dimensions

To allow gas exchange with the external environment which was comparable to the

commercially available microperforated packaging materials an initial test was done and

appropriate numbers of pinholes were made on each package (Table 1)

[Insert Table 1]

Packaging and vibration impact

A total of 20 cases 10 each for control and vibration treatment of each package type (shown in

Table 1) were prepared for the slices treated with both antibrowning agents The packaged

slices were stored at 4degC for 24 h before vibration testing that was conducted at room

temperature (~23degC) Prior to the vibration testing 10 cases in the column were labelled 1 to 10

(top to bottom) with the following case positions (for trained panel sensory evaluation) top

(cases 1-3) middle (cases 4-7) and bottom (cases 8-10) The vibration tests were conducted to

simulate the hazards of the truck transportation environment A column stack of 10 cases of

each package type was subjected to a random vibration test in accordance with American

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D4728 The composite truck spectrum described in

ASTM D4169 Assurance Level II was used for 60 min vibration The overall root-mean-square

acceleration (Grms) of the vibration test was 052 G20 These vibration conditions represent an

accelerated test for approximately 500 miles of interstate highway shipment After package

vibration application the slices were stored at 4degC for 9 days (10 days post-processing) before

sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation

Michigan Universityrsquos Biomedical and Health Sciences Intuitional Review Board approved the

study protocol for sensory evaluations of fresh-cut slices

Trained panel The trained panel consisted of nine members and training was conducted in

three orientation sessions where panellists developed rating scales for the degree of browning

and overall appearance For training purposes and familiarisation panellists were offered slices

of varying degree of quality for the degree of browning and overall appearance

Panellists performed lsquodifference from controlrsquo discrimination sensory test for the degree of

browning and overall appearance for the slices from each type of package and the three case

positions (top middle and bottom) on a 0-8 scoring scale (0 = no difference from control 8 =

extremely different from control) For each sample three to four slices were placed randomly

numbered 8 oz cups and presented randomly to avoid panellistsrsquo bias Evaluation was

conducted at room temperature in individual booths under white fluorescent light

Consumer panel The 100-member consumer panel comprised of a broad cross-section of

adult population The individual case positions were not evaluated in this evaluation rather

samples from different cases were mixed for each treatment before evaluation Sample

preparation and presentation were the same as that for the trained panel evaluation Panellists

were asked to rate their likeness for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1-9

hedonic scale21 1= dislike extremely 2 = dislike very much 3 = dislike moderately 4 = dislike

slightly 5 = neither like nor dislike 6 = like slightly 7 = like moderately 8 = like very much

and 9 =like extremely) A score of 5 or below was considered a limit of acceptability for all

sensory attributes evaluated

Statistical analysis

All data were analysed by analysis of variance using SAS software version 91 (SAS Institute

Inc Cary NC USA) The separation of means or significant differences was made by Tukeyrsquos

Honestly Significant Difference and the statistical significance was defined as p lt 005

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Trained panel sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation by the trained panel showed that the NatureSeal application preserved the

appearance of the apple slices and that the vibration testing did not produce any detectable

changes in the apple slice quality (Table 2) The overall appearance and browning scores for

the samples in rigid containers which were treated with Ever-Fresh were significantly higher

(representing greater difference from control) after vibration testing in the top case position

compared with that in the bottom position Because cases on the top do not have as much

weight on them they could potentially have the greatest amount of movement during testing

This indicated that any quality changes due to vibration were not severe Except for the slices

in the middle case position in the 2 lb PE bags evaluated on day 10 no significant differences

in the degree of browning or overall appearance were observed regardless of the antibrowning

treatment used or the other two case positions This was due probably to the fact that during

vibration slices in the middle case position bags were hitting against cut-slice edges on both

sides in the top and bottom position bags this may have resulted in some tissue damage to

initiate browning It is noted that variation in apple slices both naturally occurring and as a

result of small process variation can have some effect

[Insert Table 2]

Consumer panel sensory evaluation

Colour The non-vibrated (control) slices treated with NatureSeal had significantly (plt005)

better colour scores 653 to 680 than those treated with Ever-Fresh which ranged from 399 to

458 (Figure 1) None of the Ever-Fresh-treated samples (control or vibrated) were in the

acceptable quality range (sensory colour score of 5 or less was considered the limit of

acceptable quality) Package type had minimal effect on colour scores for the NatureSeal-treated

slices whereas the Ever-fresh-treated slices in 5 oz rigid PS containers fared better than those in

the other two packages probably 5 oz packagersquos rigid construction provided extra protection

In general there was slight colour deterioration although not significant (plt005) as a result of

vibration treatment regardless of antibrowning treatments or type of package

Texture With the exception of the slices in the 2 lb PE bags vibration of slices within each

antibrowning treatment had no significant effect on texture as compared with the non-vibrated

samples (Figure 1) Texture scores ranging from 615 to 657 were observed with NatureSeal

across the three package types with the highest degree of preference (657) in the PS rigid

container followed by the 2 oz and 2 lb PE bags respectively Slices treated with Ever-Fresh

had texture scores ranging from 528 to 594 Again highest texture scores were obtained with

samples packed in PS rigid containers However Ever-Fresh was consistently less effective in

maintaining texture than NatureSeal in all the three packages Overall the slices in the 5 oz PS

rigid container had the best texture scores as compared with that of the two other package types

The apples used in this study were pre-treated with 1-MCP Perera et al22 reported that 1-MCP

treatment was effective in reducing ethylene production respiration and loss of firmness of

slices when applied to whole apples directly after harvest

[Insert Figure 1]

Flavour There were no significant (p lt 005) differences in flavour scores either between the

two antibrowning treatments or as a result of vibration impact (Figure 1) The best flavour

score of 613 was observed in the NatureSeal-treated slices in the 2 oz PE bags that were

subjected to vibration in comparison the Ever-Fresh-treated and Ever-Fresh-vibrated slices in

the 2 lb PE bags had the lowest flavour score of 541 Although not significant generally the

vibration impact appeared to have slightly enhanced the flavour One possible explanation for

this enhanced flavour might be the constant rubbing of slices with each other during vibration

that may have released flavour volatiles This was in contrast to the effect observed for colour

where vibration had an inverse impact on most samples Beaulieu and Baldwin suggested that

if disruption of the skin occurs by cutting the rate of respiration is accelerated and the

characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in fruit are modified23

Overall acceptability Consistently higher overall acceptability scores were observed for the

NatureSeal-treated slices in all three types of packages (Figure 1) Among all package types

and antibrowning treatments the lowest overall acceptability scores were found for the slices

packaged in the 2 lb PE bags The vibration treatment had a minimal impact on apple slices

regardless of the package type or the antibrowning treatment used The overall acceptability

scores lower than the limit of acceptability (ie lt5) were observed only in the Ever-freshshy

treated slices in the 2 lb PE bags for both the control (491) and vibrated samples (465)

Sensory quality of fresh-cut fruits can be further improved by the use of modified atmosphere

packaging24

Figure 2 shows the frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores for the fresh-cut

apple slices in three types of packages that were subjected to vibration For the NatureSealshy

NatureSeal were better in sensory attributes of colour texture flavour and overall acceptability

Overall package type had no or minimal effect on the slice quality attributes

KEY WORDS fresh-cut slices apple transport vibration packaging sensory quality

INTRODUCTION

Fresh-cut produce is defined as any fresh fruit or vegetable or any combination thereof that has

been physically altered from its original form but remains in a fresh state1 Fresh-cut produce

also called lsquominimally processedrsquo has two main purposes (a) keeping the produce fresh by

extending its shelf life without losing its nutritional and sensory quality or compromising

product safety and (b) ensuring a product shelf life that is sufficient to make its distribution

feasible within the region of its consumption23 Fresh-cut produce is one of the fastest growing

segments of the food industry in the USA4

Quality factors for fresh-cut products include visual appearance (freshness colour defects and

decay) texture or firmness flavour nutritive value and microbial safety56 Many of these

quality attributes are susceptible to negative change during shipping and distribution channels

From the consumersrsquo perspective colour or appearance is the most important quality if the

colour of a fresh-cut product is not attractive or of acceptable quality the consumer is less

likely to purchase it regardless of its excellent texture flavour taste or other quality attributes7

Therefore in addition to acceptable physicochemical properties high level of sensory quality is

a prerequisite for successful marketing of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables

Post-processing distribution logistics for fresh-cut apples present significant challenges in

maintaining the optimum quality In the USA most of the processors are located near the

centres of crop production and processed products are shipped as far as 2000 miles by the

national processors8 In addition to the processing operations fresh-cut products are also

subjected to stress during the physical action of transportation such as continuous vibration

Most of the past studies on fresh-cut apple slices have focused on the determination of

instrumental colour sensory or microbial quality as affected by antibrowning or sanitizer

treatments9-12 whereas vibration impact studies have focused mainly on the whole13-15 package

performance or optimization1617 and vibration dynamic or models1819 However there is little if

any documentation on the effect of vibration impact during transportation on the sensory

quality and the consumer preferences for fresh-cut apple slices in different types of packages

Our objective was to investigate the impact of simulated transportation and package type on the

sensory quality of fresh-cut apple slices pre-treated with two antibrowning treatments

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Empire apples treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) an ethylene inhibitor and stored

under controlled atmosphere conditions for approximately 8 months were purchased locally

These apples were harvested at the same maturity stage The reason for using 8 month stored

apples was that the fruit must store well and be available throughout the year to meet the fresh-

cut processorsrsquo demand

Slice processing

Apples were washed using tap water and then dipped in Fruit amp Vegetable Wash (SC Johnson

Professional Sturtevant WI USA) for 5 min at a concentration to yield 160 ppm of available

chlorine Apples were then sliced using an automatic corerslicer (Bock Engineered Products

Inc Toledo OH USA) with a 10-cut blade Cut slices were dipped in the antibrowning

treatment solutions (5 g 100 mlminus1) for ~30 s The antibrowning treatments used were NatureSeal

calcium salt of ascorbic acid and Ever-Fresh with ascorbic and citric acids as main ingredients

NatureSeal is a widely used antibrowning treatment11 whereas Ever-Fresh is used in food

service applications The treated apple slices were packaged in 5 oz polystyrene (PS) rigid

container 2 lb polyethylene (PE) bag or 2 oz PE bag Table 1 shows package weights packages

per case and case dimensions

To allow gas exchange with the external environment which was comparable to the

commercially available microperforated packaging materials an initial test was done and

appropriate numbers of pinholes were made on each package (Table 1)

[Insert Table 1]

Packaging and vibration impact

A total of 20 cases 10 each for control and vibration treatment of each package type (shown in

Table 1) were prepared for the slices treated with both antibrowning agents The packaged

slices were stored at 4degC for 24 h before vibration testing that was conducted at room

temperature (~23degC) Prior to the vibration testing 10 cases in the column were labelled 1 to 10

(top to bottom) with the following case positions (for trained panel sensory evaluation) top

(cases 1-3) middle (cases 4-7) and bottom (cases 8-10) The vibration tests were conducted to

simulate the hazards of the truck transportation environment A column stack of 10 cases of

each package type was subjected to a random vibration test in accordance with American

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D4728 The composite truck spectrum described in

ASTM D4169 Assurance Level II was used for 60 min vibration The overall root-mean-square

acceleration (Grms) of the vibration test was 052 G20 These vibration conditions represent an

accelerated test for approximately 500 miles of interstate highway shipment After package

vibration application the slices were stored at 4degC for 9 days (10 days post-processing) before

sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation

Michigan Universityrsquos Biomedical and Health Sciences Intuitional Review Board approved the

study protocol for sensory evaluations of fresh-cut slices

Trained panel The trained panel consisted of nine members and training was conducted in

three orientation sessions where panellists developed rating scales for the degree of browning

and overall appearance For training purposes and familiarisation panellists were offered slices

of varying degree of quality for the degree of browning and overall appearance

Panellists performed lsquodifference from controlrsquo discrimination sensory test for the degree of

browning and overall appearance for the slices from each type of package and the three case

positions (top middle and bottom) on a 0-8 scoring scale (0 = no difference from control 8 =

extremely different from control) For each sample three to four slices were placed randomly

numbered 8 oz cups and presented randomly to avoid panellistsrsquo bias Evaluation was

conducted at room temperature in individual booths under white fluorescent light

Consumer panel The 100-member consumer panel comprised of a broad cross-section of

adult population The individual case positions were not evaluated in this evaluation rather

samples from different cases were mixed for each treatment before evaluation Sample

preparation and presentation were the same as that for the trained panel evaluation Panellists

were asked to rate their likeness for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1-9

hedonic scale21 1= dislike extremely 2 = dislike very much 3 = dislike moderately 4 = dislike

slightly 5 = neither like nor dislike 6 = like slightly 7 = like moderately 8 = like very much

and 9 =like extremely) A score of 5 or below was considered a limit of acceptability for all

sensory attributes evaluated

Statistical analysis

All data were analysed by analysis of variance using SAS software version 91 (SAS Institute

Inc Cary NC USA) The separation of means or significant differences was made by Tukeyrsquos

Honestly Significant Difference and the statistical significance was defined as p lt 005

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Trained panel sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation by the trained panel showed that the NatureSeal application preserved the

appearance of the apple slices and that the vibration testing did not produce any detectable

changes in the apple slice quality (Table 2) The overall appearance and browning scores for

the samples in rigid containers which were treated with Ever-Fresh were significantly higher

(representing greater difference from control) after vibration testing in the top case position

compared with that in the bottom position Because cases on the top do not have as much

weight on them they could potentially have the greatest amount of movement during testing

This indicated that any quality changes due to vibration were not severe Except for the slices

in the middle case position in the 2 lb PE bags evaluated on day 10 no significant differences

in the degree of browning or overall appearance were observed regardless of the antibrowning

treatment used or the other two case positions This was due probably to the fact that during

vibration slices in the middle case position bags were hitting against cut-slice edges on both

sides in the top and bottom position bags this may have resulted in some tissue damage to

initiate browning It is noted that variation in apple slices both naturally occurring and as a

result of small process variation can have some effect

[Insert Table 2]

Consumer panel sensory evaluation

Colour The non-vibrated (control) slices treated with NatureSeal had significantly (plt005)

better colour scores 653 to 680 than those treated with Ever-Fresh which ranged from 399 to

458 (Figure 1) None of the Ever-Fresh-treated samples (control or vibrated) were in the

acceptable quality range (sensory colour score of 5 or less was considered the limit of

acceptable quality) Package type had minimal effect on colour scores for the NatureSeal-treated

slices whereas the Ever-fresh-treated slices in 5 oz rigid PS containers fared better than those in

the other two packages probably 5 oz packagersquos rigid construction provided extra protection

In general there was slight colour deterioration although not significant (plt005) as a result of

vibration treatment regardless of antibrowning treatments or type of package

Texture With the exception of the slices in the 2 lb PE bags vibration of slices within each

antibrowning treatment had no significant effect on texture as compared with the non-vibrated

samples (Figure 1) Texture scores ranging from 615 to 657 were observed with NatureSeal

across the three package types with the highest degree of preference (657) in the PS rigid

container followed by the 2 oz and 2 lb PE bags respectively Slices treated with Ever-Fresh

had texture scores ranging from 528 to 594 Again highest texture scores were obtained with

samples packed in PS rigid containers However Ever-Fresh was consistently less effective in

maintaining texture than NatureSeal in all the three packages Overall the slices in the 5 oz PS

rigid container had the best texture scores as compared with that of the two other package types

The apples used in this study were pre-treated with 1-MCP Perera et al22 reported that 1-MCP

treatment was effective in reducing ethylene production respiration and loss of firmness of

slices when applied to whole apples directly after harvest

[Insert Figure 1]

Flavour There were no significant (p lt 005) differences in flavour scores either between the

two antibrowning treatments or as a result of vibration impact (Figure 1) The best flavour

score of 613 was observed in the NatureSeal-treated slices in the 2 oz PE bags that were

subjected to vibration in comparison the Ever-Fresh-treated and Ever-Fresh-vibrated slices in

the 2 lb PE bags had the lowest flavour score of 541 Although not significant generally the

vibration impact appeared to have slightly enhanced the flavour One possible explanation for

this enhanced flavour might be the constant rubbing of slices with each other during vibration

that may have released flavour volatiles This was in contrast to the effect observed for colour

where vibration had an inverse impact on most samples Beaulieu and Baldwin suggested that

if disruption of the skin occurs by cutting the rate of respiration is accelerated and the

characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in fruit are modified23

Overall acceptability Consistently higher overall acceptability scores were observed for the

NatureSeal-treated slices in all three types of packages (Figure 1) Among all package types

and antibrowning treatments the lowest overall acceptability scores were found for the slices

packaged in the 2 lb PE bags The vibration treatment had a minimal impact on apple slices

regardless of the package type or the antibrowning treatment used The overall acceptability

scores lower than the limit of acceptability (ie lt5) were observed only in the Ever-freshshy

treated slices in the 2 lb PE bags for both the control (491) and vibrated samples (465)

Sensory quality of fresh-cut fruits can be further improved by the use of modified atmosphere

packaging24

Figure 2 shows the frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores for the fresh-cut

apple slices in three types of packages that were subjected to vibration For the NatureSealshy

centres of crop production and processed products are shipped as far as 2000 miles by the

national processors8 In addition to the processing operations fresh-cut products are also

subjected to stress during the physical action of transportation such as continuous vibration

Most of the past studies on fresh-cut apple slices have focused on the determination of

instrumental colour sensory or microbial quality as affected by antibrowning or sanitizer

treatments9-12 whereas vibration impact studies have focused mainly on the whole13-15 package

performance or optimization1617 and vibration dynamic or models1819 However there is little if

any documentation on the effect of vibration impact during transportation on the sensory

quality and the consumer preferences for fresh-cut apple slices in different types of packages

Our objective was to investigate the impact of simulated transportation and package type on the

sensory quality of fresh-cut apple slices pre-treated with two antibrowning treatments

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Empire apples treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) an ethylene inhibitor and stored

under controlled atmosphere conditions for approximately 8 months were purchased locally

These apples were harvested at the same maturity stage The reason for using 8 month stored

apples was that the fruit must store well and be available throughout the year to meet the fresh-

cut processorsrsquo demand

Slice processing

Apples were washed using tap water and then dipped in Fruit amp Vegetable Wash (SC Johnson

Professional Sturtevant WI USA) for 5 min at a concentration to yield 160 ppm of available

chlorine Apples were then sliced using an automatic corerslicer (Bock Engineered Products

Inc Toledo OH USA) with a 10-cut blade Cut slices were dipped in the antibrowning

treatment solutions (5 g 100 mlminus1) for ~30 s The antibrowning treatments used were NatureSeal

calcium salt of ascorbic acid and Ever-Fresh with ascorbic and citric acids as main ingredients

NatureSeal is a widely used antibrowning treatment11 whereas Ever-Fresh is used in food

service applications The treated apple slices were packaged in 5 oz polystyrene (PS) rigid

container 2 lb polyethylene (PE) bag or 2 oz PE bag Table 1 shows package weights packages

per case and case dimensions

To allow gas exchange with the external environment which was comparable to the

commercially available microperforated packaging materials an initial test was done and

appropriate numbers of pinholes were made on each package (Table 1)

[Insert Table 1]

Packaging and vibration impact

A total of 20 cases 10 each for control and vibration treatment of each package type (shown in

Table 1) were prepared for the slices treated with both antibrowning agents The packaged

slices were stored at 4degC for 24 h before vibration testing that was conducted at room

temperature (~23degC) Prior to the vibration testing 10 cases in the column were labelled 1 to 10

(top to bottom) with the following case positions (for trained panel sensory evaluation) top

(cases 1-3) middle (cases 4-7) and bottom (cases 8-10) The vibration tests were conducted to

simulate the hazards of the truck transportation environment A column stack of 10 cases of

each package type was subjected to a random vibration test in accordance with American

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D4728 The composite truck spectrum described in

ASTM D4169 Assurance Level II was used for 60 min vibration The overall root-mean-square

acceleration (Grms) of the vibration test was 052 G20 These vibration conditions represent an

accelerated test for approximately 500 miles of interstate highway shipment After package

vibration application the slices were stored at 4degC for 9 days (10 days post-processing) before

sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation

Michigan Universityrsquos Biomedical and Health Sciences Intuitional Review Board approved the

study protocol for sensory evaluations of fresh-cut slices

Trained panel The trained panel consisted of nine members and training was conducted in

three orientation sessions where panellists developed rating scales for the degree of browning

and overall appearance For training purposes and familiarisation panellists were offered slices

of varying degree of quality for the degree of browning and overall appearance

Panellists performed lsquodifference from controlrsquo discrimination sensory test for the degree of

browning and overall appearance for the slices from each type of package and the three case

positions (top middle and bottom) on a 0-8 scoring scale (0 = no difference from control 8 =

extremely different from control) For each sample three to four slices were placed randomly

numbered 8 oz cups and presented randomly to avoid panellistsrsquo bias Evaluation was

conducted at room temperature in individual booths under white fluorescent light

Consumer panel The 100-member consumer panel comprised of a broad cross-section of

adult population The individual case positions were not evaluated in this evaluation rather

samples from different cases were mixed for each treatment before evaluation Sample

preparation and presentation were the same as that for the trained panel evaluation Panellists

were asked to rate their likeness for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1-9

hedonic scale21 1= dislike extremely 2 = dislike very much 3 = dislike moderately 4 = dislike

slightly 5 = neither like nor dislike 6 = like slightly 7 = like moderately 8 = like very much

and 9 =like extremely) A score of 5 or below was considered a limit of acceptability for all

sensory attributes evaluated

Statistical analysis

All data were analysed by analysis of variance using SAS software version 91 (SAS Institute

Inc Cary NC USA) The separation of means or significant differences was made by Tukeyrsquos

Honestly Significant Difference and the statistical significance was defined as p lt 005

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Trained panel sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation by the trained panel showed that the NatureSeal application preserved the

appearance of the apple slices and that the vibration testing did not produce any detectable

changes in the apple slice quality (Table 2) The overall appearance and browning scores for

the samples in rigid containers which were treated with Ever-Fresh were significantly higher

(representing greater difference from control) after vibration testing in the top case position

compared with that in the bottom position Because cases on the top do not have as much

weight on them they could potentially have the greatest amount of movement during testing

This indicated that any quality changes due to vibration were not severe Except for the slices

in the middle case position in the 2 lb PE bags evaluated on day 10 no significant differences

in the degree of browning or overall appearance were observed regardless of the antibrowning

treatment used or the other two case positions This was due probably to the fact that during

vibration slices in the middle case position bags were hitting against cut-slice edges on both

sides in the top and bottom position bags this may have resulted in some tissue damage to

initiate browning It is noted that variation in apple slices both naturally occurring and as a

result of small process variation can have some effect

[Insert Table 2]

Consumer panel sensory evaluation

Colour The non-vibrated (control) slices treated with NatureSeal had significantly (plt005)

better colour scores 653 to 680 than those treated with Ever-Fresh which ranged from 399 to

458 (Figure 1) None of the Ever-Fresh-treated samples (control or vibrated) were in the

acceptable quality range (sensory colour score of 5 or less was considered the limit of

acceptable quality) Package type had minimal effect on colour scores for the NatureSeal-treated

slices whereas the Ever-fresh-treated slices in 5 oz rigid PS containers fared better than those in

the other two packages probably 5 oz packagersquos rigid construction provided extra protection

In general there was slight colour deterioration although not significant (plt005) as a result of

vibration treatment regardless of antibrowning treatments or type of package

Texture With the exception of the slices in the 2 lb PE bags vibration of slices within each

antibrowning treatment had no significant effect on texture as compared with the non-vibrated

samples (Figure 1) Texture scores ranging from 615 to 657 were observed with NatureSeal

across the three package types with the highest degree of preference (657) in the PS rigid

container followed by the 2 oz and 2 lb PE bags respectively Slices treated with Ever-Fresh

had texture scores ranging from 528 to 594 Again highest texture scores were obtained with

samples packed in PS rigid containers However Ever-Fresh was consistently less effective in

maintaining texture than NatureSeal in all the three packages Overall the slices in the 5 oz PS

rigid container had the best texture scores as compared with that of the two other package types

The apples used in this study were pre-treated with 1-MCP Perera et al22 reported that 1-MCP

treatment was effective in reducing ethylene production respiration and loss of firmness of

slices when applied to whole apples directly after harvest

[Insert Figure 1]

Flavour There were no significant (p lt 005) differences in flavour scores either between the

two antibrowning treatments or as a result of vibration impact (Figure 1) The best flavour

score of 613 was observed in the NatureSeal-treated slices in the 2 oz PE bags that were

subjected to vibration in comparison the Ever-Fresh-treated and Ever-Fresh-vibrated slices in

the 2 lb PE bags had the lowest flavour score of 541 Although not significant generally the

vibration impact appeared to have slightly enhanced the flavour One possible explanation for

this enhanced flavour might be the constant rubbing of slices with each other during vibration

that may have released flavour volatiles This was in contrast to the effect observed for colour

where vibration had an inverse impact on most samples Beaulieu and Baldwin suggested that

if disruption of the skin occurs by cutting the rate of respiration is accelerated and the

characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in fruit are modified23

Overall acceptability Consistently higher overall acceptability scores were observed for the

NatureSeal-treated slices in all three types of packages (Figure 1) Among all package types

and antibrowning treatments the lowest overall acceptability scores were found for the slices

packaged in the 2 lb PE bags The vibration treatment had a minimal impact on apple slices

regardless of the package type or the antibrowning treatment used The overall acceptability

scores lower than the limit of acceptability (ie lt5) were observed only in the Ever-freshshy

treated slices in the 2 lb PE bags for both the control (491) and vibrated samples (465)

Sensory quality of fresh-cut fruits can be further improved by the use of modified atmosphere

packaging24

Figure 2 shows the frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores for the fresh-cut

apple slices in three types of packages that were subjected to vibration For the NatureSealshy

calcium salt of ascorbic acid and Ever-Fresh with ascorbic and citric acids as main ingredients

NatureSeal is a widely used antibrowning treatment11 whereas Ever-Fresh is used in food

service applications The treated apple slices were packaged in 5 oz polystyrene (PS) rigid

container 2 lb polyethylene (PE) bag or 2 oz PE bag Table 1 shows package weights packages

per case and case dimensions

To allow gas exchange with the external environment which was comparable to the

commercially available microperforated packaging materials an initial test was done and

appropriate numbers of pinholes were made on each package (Table 1)

[Insert Table 1]

Packaging and vibration impact

A total of 20 cases 10 each for control and vibration treatment of each package type (shown in

Table 1) were prepared for the slices treated with both antibrowning agents The packaged

slices were stored at 4degC for 24 h before vibration testing that was conducted at room

temperature (~23degC) Prior to the vibration testing 10 cases in the column were labelled 1 to 10

(top to bottom) with the following case positions (for trained panel sensory evaluation) top

(cases 1-3) middle (cases 4-7) and bottom (cases 8-10) The vibration tests were conducted to

simulate the hazards of the truck transportation environment A column stack of 10 cases of

each package type was subjected to a random vibration test in accordance with American

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D4728 The composite truck spectrum described in

ASTM D4169 Assurance Level II was used for 60 min vibration The overall root-mean-square

acceleration (Grms) of the vibration test was 052 G20 These vibration conditions represent an

accelerated test for approximately 500 miles of interstate highway shipment After package

vibration application the slices were stored at 4degC for 9 days (10 days post-processing) before

sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation

Michigan Universityrsquos Biomedical and Health Sciences Intuitional Review Board approved the

study protocol for sensory evaluations of fresh-cut slices

Trained panel The trained panel consisted of nine members and training was conducted in

three orientation sessions where panellists developed rating scales for the degree of browning

and overall appearance For training purposes and familiarisation panellists were offered slices

of varying degree of quality for the degree of browning and overall appearance

Panellists performed lsquodifference from controlrsquo discrimination sensory test for the degree of

browning and overall appearance for the slices from each type of package and the three case

positions (top middle and bottom) on a 0-8 scoring scale (0 = no difference from control 8 =

extremely different from control) For each sample three to four slices were placed randomly

numbered 8 oz cups and presented randomly to avoid panellistsrsquo bias Evaluation was

conducted at room temperature in individual booths under white fluorescent light

Consumer panel The 100-member consumer panel comprised of a broad cross-section of

adult population The individual case positions were not evaluated in this evaluation rather

samples from different cases were mixed for each treatment before evaluation Sample

preparation and presentation were the same as that for the trained panel evaluation Panellists

were asked to rate their likeness for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1-9

hedonic scale21 1= dislike extremely 2 = dislike very much 3 = dislike moderately 4 = dislike

slightly 5 = neither like nor dislike 6 = like slightly 7 = like moderately 8 = like very much

and 9 =like extremely) A score of 5 or below was considered a limit of acceptability for all

sensory attributes evaluated

Statistical analysis

All data were analysed by analysis of variance using SAS software version 91 (SAS Institute

Inc Cary NC USA) The separation of means or significant differences was made by Tukeyrsquos

Honestly Significant Difference and the statistical significance was defined as p lt 005

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Trained panel sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation by the trained panel showed that the NatureSeal application preserved the

appearance of the apple slices and that the vibration testing did not produce any detectable

changes in the apple slice quality (Table 2) The overall appearance and browning scores for

the samples in rigid containers which were treated with Ever-Fresh were significantly higher

(representing greater difference from control) after vibration testing in the top case position

compared with that in the bottom position Because cases on the top do not have as much

weight on them they could potentially have the greatest amount of movement during testing

This indicated that any quality changes due to vibration were not severe Except for the slices

in the middle case position in the 2 lb PE bags evaluated on day 10 no significant differences

in the degree of browning or overall appearance were observed regardless of the antibrowning

treatment used or the other two case positions This was due probably to the fact that during

vibration slices in the middle case position bags were hitting against cut-slice edges on both

sides in the top and bottom position bags this may have resulted in some tissue damage to

initiate browning It is noted that variation in apple slices both naturally occurring and as a

result of small process variation can have some effect

[Insert Table 2]

Consumer panel sensory evaluation

Colour The non-vibrated (control) slices treated with NatureSeal had significantly (plt005)

better colour scores 653 to 680 than those treated with Ever-Fresh which ranged from 399 to

458 (Figure 1) None of the Ever-Fresh-treated samples (control or vibrated) were in the

acceptable quality range (sensory colour score of 5 or less was considered the limit of

acceptable quality) Package type had minimal effect on colour scores for the NatureSeal-treated

slices whereas the Ever-fresh-treated slices in 5 oz rigid PS containers fared better than those in

the other two packages probably 5 oz packagersquos rigid construction provided extra protection

In general there was slight colour deterioration although not significant (plt005) as a result of

vibration treatment regardless of antibrowning treatments or type of package

Texture With the exception of the slices in the 2 lb PE bags vibration of slices within each

antibrowning treatment had no significant effect on texture as compared with the non-vibrated

samples (Figure 1) Texture scores ranging from 615 to 657 were observed with NatureSeal

across the three package types with the highest degree of preference (657) in the PS rigid

container followed by the 2 oz and 2 lb PE bags respectively Slices treated with Ever-Fresh

had texture scores ranging from 528 to 594 Again highest texture scores were obtained with

samples packed in PS rigid containers However Ever-Fresh was consistently less effective in

maintaining texture than NatureSeal in all the three packages Overall the slices in the 5 oz PS

rigid container had the best texture scores as compared with that of the two other package types

The apples used in this study were pre-treated with 1-MCP Perera et al22 reported that 1-MCP

treatment was effective in reducing ethylene production respiration and loss of firmness of

slices when applied to whole apples directly after harvest

[Insert Figure 1]

Flavour There were no significant (p lt 005) differences in flavour scores either between the

two antibrowning treatments or as a result of vibration impact (Figure 1) The best flavour

score of 613 was observed in the NatureSeal-treated slices in the 2 oz PE bags that were

subjected to vibration in comparison the Ever-Fresh-treated and Ever-Fresh-vibrated slices in

the 2 lb PE bags had the lowest flavour score of 541 Although not significant generally the

vibration impact appeared to have slightly enhanced the flavour One possible explanation for

this enhanced flavour might be the constant rubbing of slices with each other during vibration

that may have released flavour volatiles This was in contrast to the effect observed for colour

where vibration had an inverse impact on most samples Beaulieu and Baldwin suggested that

if disruption of the skin occurs by cutting the rate of respiration is accelerated and the

characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in fruit are modified23

Overall acceptability Consistently higher overall acceptability scores were observed for the

NatureSeal-treated slices in all three types of packages (Figure 1) Among all package types

and antibrowning treatments the lowest overall acceptability scores were found for the slices

packaged in the 2 lb PE bags The vibration treatment had a minimal impact on apple slices

regardless of the package type or the antibrowning treatment used The overall acceptability

scores lower than the limit of acceptability (ie lt5) were observed only in the Ever-freshshy

treated slices in the 2 lb PE bags for both the control (491) and vibrated samples (465)

Sensory quality of fresh-cut fruits can be further improved by the use of modified atmosphere

packaging24

Figure 2 shows the frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores for the fresh-cut

apple slices in three types of packages that were subjected to vibration For the NatureSealshy

vibration application the slices were stored at 4degC for 9 days (10 days post-processing) before

sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation

Michigan Universityrsquos Biomedical and Health Sciences Intuitional Review Board approved the

study protocol for sensory evaluations of fresh-cut slices

Trained panel The trained panel consisted of nine members and training was conducted in

three orientation sessions where panellists developed rating scales for the degree of browning

and overall appearance For training purposes and familiarisation panellists were offered slices

of varying degree of quality for the degree of browning and overall appearance

Panellists performed lsquodifference from controlrsquo discrimination sensory test for the degree of

browning and overall appearance for the slices from each type of package and the three case

positions (top middle and bottom) on a 0-8 scoring scale (0 = no difference from control 8 =

extremely different from control) For each sample three to four slices were placed randomly

numbered 8 oz cups and presented randomly to avoid panellistsrsquo bias Evaluation was

conducted at room temperature in individual booths under white fluorescent light

Consumer panel The 100-member consumer panel comprised of a broad cross-section of

adult population The individual case positions were not evaluated in this evaluation rather

samples from different cases were mixed for each treatment before evaluation Sample

preparation and presentation were the same as that for the trained panel evaluation Panellists

were asked to rate their likeness for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1-9

hedonic scale21 1= dislike extremely 2 = dislike very much 3 = dislike moderately 4 = dislike

slightly 5 = neither like nor dislike 6 = like slightly 7 = like moderately 8 = like very much

and 9 =like extremely) A score of 5 or below was considered a limit of acceptability for all

sensory attributes evaluated

Statistical analysis

All data were analysed by analysis of variance using SAS software version 91 (SAS Institute

Inc Cary NC USA) The separation of means or significant differences was made by Tukeyrsquos

Honestly Significant Difference and the statistical significance was defined as p lt 005

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Trained panel sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation by the trained panel showed that the NatureSeal application preserved the

appearance of the apple slices and that the vibration testing did not produce any detectable

changes in the apple slice quality (Table 2) The overall appearance and browning scores for

the samples in rigid containers which were treated with Ever-Fresh were significantly higher

(representing greater difference from control) after vibration testing in the top case position

compared with that in the bottom position Because cases on the top do not have as much

weight on them they could potentially have the greatest amount of movement during testing

This indicated that any quality changes due to vibration were not severe Except for the slices

in the middle case position in the 2 lb PE bags evaluated on day 10 no significant differences

in the degree of browning or overall appearance were observed regardless of the antibrowning

treatment used or the other two case positions This was due probably to the fact that during

vibration slices in the middle case position bags were hitting against cut-slice edges on both

sides in the top and bottom position bags this may have resulted in some tissue damage to

initiate browning It is noted that variation in apple slices both naturally occurring and as a

result of small process variation can have some effect

[Insert Table 2]

Consumer panel sensory evaluation

Colour The non-vibrated (control) slices treated with NatureSeal had significantly (plt005)

better colour scores 653 to 680 than those treated with Ever-Fresh which ranged from 399 to

458 (Figure 1) None of the Ever-Fresh-treated samples (control or vibrated) were in the

acceptable quality range (sensory colour score of 5 or less was considered the limit of

acceptable quality) Package type had minimal effect on colour scores for the NatureSeal-treated

slices whereas the Ever-fresh-treated slices in 5 oz rigid PS containers fared better than those in

the other two packages probably 5 oz packagersquos rigid construction provided extra protection

In general there was slight colour deterioration although not significant (plt005) as a result of

vibration treatment regardless of antibrowning treatments or type of package

Texture With the exception of the slices in the 2 lb PE bags vibration of slices within each

antibrowning treatment had no significant effect on texture as compared with the non-vibrated

samples (Figure 1) Texture scores ranging from 615 to 657 were observed with NatureSeal

across the three package types with the highest degree of preference (657) in the PS rigid

container followed by the 2 oz and 2 lb PE bags respectively Slices treated with Ever-Fresh

had texture scores ranging from 528 to 594 Again highest texture scores were obtained with

samples packed in PS rigid containers However Ever-Fresh was consistently less effective in

maintaining texture than NatureSeal in all the three packages Overall the slices in the 5 oz PS

rigid container had the best texture scores as compared with that of the two other package types

The apples used in this study were pre-treated with 1-MCP Perera et al22 reported that 1-MCP

treatment was effective in reducing ethylene production respiration and loss of firmness of

slices when applied to whole apples directly after harvest

[Insert Figure 1]

Flavour There were no significant (p lt 005) differences in flavour scores either between the

two antibrowning treatments or as a result of vibration impact (Figure 1) The best flavour

score of 613 was observed in the NatureSeal-treated slices in the 2 oz PE bags that were

subjected to vibration in comparison the Ever-Fresh-treated and Ever-Fresh-vibrated slices in

the 2 lb PE bags had the lowest flavour score of 541 Although not significant generally the

vibration impact appeared to have slightly enhanced the flavour One possible explanation for

this enhanced flavour might be the constant rubbing of slices with each other during vibration

that may have released flavour volatiles This was in contrast to the effect observed for colour

where vibration had an inverse impact on most samples Beaulieu and Baldwin suggested that

if disruption of the skin occurs by cutting the rate of respiration is accelerated and the

characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in fruit are modified23

Overall acceptability Consistently higher overall acceptability scores were observed for the

NatureSeal-treated slices in all three types of packages (Figure 1) Among all package types

and antibrowning treatments the lowest overall acceptability scores were found for the slices

packaged in the 2 lb PE bags The vibration treatment had a minimal impact on apple slices

regardless of the package type or the antibrowning treatment used The overall acceptability

scores lower than the limit of acceptability (ie lt5) were observed only in the Ever-freshshy

treated slices in the 2 lb PE bags for both the control (491) and vibrated samples (465)

Sensory quality of fresh-cut fruits can be further improved by the use of modified atmosphere

packaging24

Figure 2 shows the frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores for the fresh-cut

apple slices in three types of packages that were subjected to vibration For the NatureSealshy

and 9 =like extremely) A score of 5 or below was considered a limit of acceptability for all

sensory attributes evaluated

Statistical analysis

All data were analysed by analysis of variance using SAS software version 91 (SAS Institute

Inc Cary NC USA) The separation of means or significant differences was made by Tukeyrsquos

Honestly Significant Difference and the statistical significance was defined as p lt 005

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Trained panel sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluation by the trained panel showed that the NatureSeal application preserved the

appearance of the apple slices and that the vibration testing did not produce any detectable

changes in the apple slice quality (Table 2) The overall appearance and browning scores for

the samples in rigid containers which were treated with Ever-Fresh were significantly higher

(representing greater difference from control) after vibration testing in the top case position

compared with that in the bottom position Because cases on the top do not have as much

weight on them they could potentially have the greatest amount of movement during testing

This indicated that any quality changes due to vibration were not severe Except for the slices

in the middle case position in the 2 lb PE bags evaluated on day 10 no significant differences

in the degree of browning or overall appearance were observed regardless of the antibrowning

treatment used or the other two case positions This was due probably to the fact that during

vibration slices in the middle case position bags were hitting against cut-slice edges on both

sides in the top and bottom position bags this may have resulted in some tissue damage to

initiate browning It is noted that variation in apple slices both naturally occurring and as a

result of small process variation can have some effect

[Insert Table 2]

Consumer panel sensory evaluation

Colour The non-vibrated (control) slices treated with NatureSeal had significantly (plt005)

better colour scores 653 to 680 than those treated with Ever-Fresh which ranged from 399 to

458 (Figure 1) None of the Ever-Fresh-treated samples (control or vibrated) were in the

acceptable quality range (sensory colour score of 5 or less was considered the limit of

acceptable quality) Package type had minimal effect on colour scores for the NatureSeal-treated

slices whereas the Ever-fresh-treated slices in 5 oz rigid PS containers fared better than those in

the other two packages probably 5 oz packagersquos rigid construction provided extra protection

In general there was slight colour deterioration although not significant (plt005) as a result of

vibration treatment regardless of antibrowning treatments or type of package

Texture With the exception of the slices in the 2 lb PE bags vibration of slices within each

antibrowning treatment had no significant effect on texture as compared with the non-vibrated

samples (Figure 1) Texture scores ranging from 615 to 657 were observed with NatureSeal

across the three package types with the highest degree of preference (657) in the PS rigid

container followed by the 2 oz and 2 lb PE bags respectively Slices treated with Ever-Fresh

had texture scores ranging from 528 to 594 Again highest texture scores were obtained with

samples packed in PS rigid containers However Ever-Fresh was consistently less effective in

maintaining texture than NatureSeal in all the three packages Overall the slices in the 5 oz PS

rigid container had the best texture scores as compared with that of the two other package types

The apples used in this study were pre-treated with 1-MCP Perera et al22 reported that 1-MCP

treatment was effective in reducing ethylene production respiration and loss of firmness of

slices when applied to whole apples directly after harvest

[Insert Figure 1]

Flavour There were no significant (p lt 005) differences in flavour scores either between the

two antibrowning treatments or as a result of vibration impact (Figure 1) The best flavour

score of 613 was observed in the NatureSeal-treated slices in the 2 oz PE bags that were

subjected to vibration in comparison the Ever-Fresh-treated and Ever-Fresh-vibrated slices in

the 2 lb PE bags had the lowest flavour score of 541 Although not significant generally the

vibration impact appeared to have slightly enhanced the flavour One possible explanation for

this enhanced flavour might be the constant rubbing of slices with each other during vibration

that may have released flavour volatiles This was in contrast to the effect observed for colour

where vibration had an inverse impact on most samples Beaulieu and Baldwin suggested that

if disruption of the skin occurs by cutting the rate of respiration is accelerated and the

characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in fruit are modified23

Overall acceptability Consistently higher overall acceptability scores were observed for the

NatureSeal-treated slices in all three types of packages (Figure 1) Among all package types

and antibrowning treatments the lowest overall acceptability scores were found for the slices

packaged in the 2 lb PE bags The vibration treatment had a minimal impact on apple slices

regardless of the package type or the antibrowning treatment used The overall acceptability

scores lower than the limit of acceptability (ie lt5) were observed only in the Ever-freshshy

treated slices in the 2 lb PE bags for both the control (491) and vibrated samples (465)

Sensory quality of fresh-cut fruits can be further improved by the use of modified atmosphere

packaging24

Figure 2 shows the frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores for the fresh-cut

apple slices in three types of packages that were subjected to vibration For the NatureSealshy

[Insert Table 2]

Consumer panel sensory evaluation

Colour The non-vibrated (control) slices treated with NatureSeal had significantly (plt005)

better colour scores 653 to 680 than those treated with Ever-Fresh which ranged from 399 to

458 (Figure 1) None of the Ever-Fresh-treated samples (control or vibrated) were in the

acceptable quality range (sensory colour score of 5 or less was considered the limit of

acceptable quality) Package type had minimal effect on colour scores for the NatureSeal-treated

slices whereas the Ever-fresh-treated slices in 5 oz rigid PS containers fared better than those in

the other two packages probably 5 oz packagersquos rigid construction provided extra protection

In general there was slight colour deterioration although not significant (plt005) as a result of

vibration treatment regardless of antibrowning treatments or type of package

Texture With the exception of the slices in the 2 lb PE bags vibration of slices within each

antibrowning treatment had no significant effect on texture as compared with the non-vibrated

samples (Figure 1) Texture scores ranging from 615 to 657 were observed with NatureSeal

across the three package types with the highest degree of preference (657) in the PS rigid

container followed by the 2 oz and 2 lb PE bags respectively Slices treated with Ever-Fresh

had texture scores ranging from 528 to 594 Again highest texture scores were obtained with

samples packed in PS rigid containers However Ever-Fresh was consistently less effective in

maintaining texture than NatureSeal in all the three packages Overall the slices in the 5 oz PS

rigid container had the best texture scores as compared with that of the two other package types

The apples used in this study were pre-treated with 1-MCP Perera et al22 reported that 1-MCP

treatment was effective in reducing ethylene production respiration and loss of firmness of

slices when applied to whole apples directly after harvest

[Insert Figure 1]

Flavour There were no significant (p lt 005) differences in flavour scores either between the

two antibrowning treatments or as a result of vibration impact (Figure 1) The best flavour

score of 613 was observed in the NatureSeal-treated slices in the 2 oz PE bags that were

subjected to vibration in comparison the Ever-Fresh-treated and Ever-Fresh-vibrated slices in

the 2 lb PE bags had the lowest flavour score of 541 Although not significant generally the

vibration impact appeared to have slightly enhanced the flavour One possible explanation for

this enhanced flavour might be the constant rubbing of slices with each other during vibration

that may have released flavour volatiles This was in contrast to the effect observed for colour

where vibration had an inverse impact on most samples Beaulieu and Baldwin suggested that

if disruption of the skin occurs by cutting the rate of respiration is accelerated and the

characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in fruit are modified23

Overall acceptability Consistently higher overall acceptability scores were observed for the

NatureSeal-treated slices in all three types of packages (Figure 1) Among all package types

and antibrowning treatments the lowest overall acceptability scores were found for the slices

packaged in the 2 lb PE bags The vibration treatment had a minimal impact on apple slices

regardless of the package type or the antibrowning treatment used The overall acceptability

scores lower than the limit of acceptability (ie lt5) were observed only in the Ever-freshshy

treated slices in the 2 lb PE bags for both the control (491) and vibrated samples (465)

Sensory quality of fresh-cut fruits can be further improved by the use of modified atmosphere

packaging24

Figure 2 shows the frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores for the fresh-cut

apple slices in three types of packages that were subjected to vibration For the NatureSealshy

[Insert Figure 1]

Flavour There were no significant (p lt 005) differences in flavour scores either between the

two antibrowning treatments or as a result of vibration impact (Figure 1) The best flavour

score of 613 was observed in the NatureSeal-treated slices in the 2 oz PE bags that were

subjected to vibration in comparison the Ever-Fresh-treated and Ever-Fresh-vibrated slices in

the 2 lb PE bags had the lowest flavour score of 541 Although not significant generally the

vibration impact appeared to have slightly enhanced the flavour One possible explanation for

this enhanced flavour might be the constant rubbing of slices with each other during vibration

that may have released flavour volatiles This was in contrast to the effect observed for colour

where vibration had an inverse impact on most samples Beaulieu and Baldwin suggested that

if disruption of the skin occurs by cutting the rate of respiration is accelerated and the

characteristic flavour and aroma compounds in fruit are modified23

Overall acceptability Consistently higher overall acceptability scores were observed for the

NatureSeal-treated slices in all three types of packages (Figure 1) Among all package types

and antibrowning treatments the lowest overall acceptability scores were found for the slices

packaged in the 2 lb PE bags The vibration treatment had a minimal impact on apple slices

regardless of the package type or the antibrowning treatment used The overall acceptability

scores lower than the limit of acceptability (ie lt5) were observed only in the Ever-freshshy

treated slices in the 2 lb PE bags for both the control (491) and vibrated samples (465)

Sensory quality of fresh-cut fruits can be further improved by the use of modified atmosphere

packaging24

Figure 2 shows the frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores for the fresh-cut

apple slices in three types of packages that were subjected to vibration For the NatureSealshy

treated apple slices 79-88 respondents rated overall acceptability at a score of ge6 which is a

significantly higher proportion as compared with the Ever-Fresh-treated slices where only 55shy

76 panellists gave a score of 6 or higher

[Insert Figure 2]

CONCLUSIONS

This study was undertaken to compare the effect of commercial antibrowning treatments of

fresh-cut apple slices packaged in PS rigid containers or small and large PE bags and subjected

to simulated transportation vibration The PS rigid container performed better in preserving the

sensory attributes studied The vibration impact on the fresh-cut apple slices was minimal

regardless of the package type The results of this study demonstrated that fresh-cut slices

treated with NatureSeal can be successfully transported and marketed in any of the three types

of packages investigated without any significant impact on major sensory attributes

REFERENCES

1 IFPA 2004 Fresh-cut ProduceFresh-cut Process International Fresh-Cut Produce

Association Alexandria VA http wwwfresh-cutsorg [accessed 26 July 2005]

2 Vasconellos JA Regulatory and safety aspects of refrigerated minimally processed fruits

and vegetables a review In Minimally Processed Fruits and Vegetables Alzamora SM

Tapia MS Lopez-Malo A (eds) Aspen Publishers Gaithersburg MD 2000 319ndash343

3 Laurila E Ahvenainen R Minimal processing in practice In Minimal Processing

Technologies in the Food Industry Ohlsson T Bengtsson N (eds) Woodhead Publishing

Ltd Cambridge 2002 223

4 Rowles K Henniehan B White G Thinking Afresh About Processing an Exploration of

New Market Opportunities for Apple Products Staff Paper 2001-03 Cornell University

Department of Applied Economics and Management College of Agriculture and Life

Sciences 2001

5 Kader AA Mitcham B Standardization of quality In Fresh-cut ProductsmdashMaintaining

Quality and Safety University of California Davis CA 1996

6 Piagentini AM Guemes DR Pirovani ME Sensory characteristics of fresh-cut spinach

preserved by combined factors methodology Journal of Food Science 2002 67 1544ndash9

7 Siddiq M Peaches and nectarines In Handbook of Fruits and Fruit Processing Hui Y (ed)

Blackwell Publishing Co Ames IA 2006 519ndash531

8 Watada AE Qi L Quality of fresh-cut produce Postharvest Biology and Technology 1999

15 201ndash205

9 Abbott JA Saftner RA Gross KC Vinyard BT Janick J Consumer evaluation and quality

measurement of fresh-cut slices of lsquoFujirsquo lsquoGolden Deliciousrsquo lsquoGoldRushrsquo and lsquoGranny

Smithrsquo apples Postharvest Biology and Technology 2004 33 127ndash140

10 Buta JG Moline HE Spaulding DW Wang CY Extending storage life of fresh-cut apples

using natural products and their derivatives Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

1999 47 1ndash6

11 Pilizota V Sapers GM Novel browning inhibitor formulation for fresh-cut apples Journal

of Food Science 2004 69140ndash143

12 Toivonen PMA Influence of harvest maturity on cut-edge browning of lsquoGranny Smithrsquo

fresh apple slices treated with anti-browning solution after cutting LWT Food Science and

Technology 2008 411607ndash1609

13 Chonhenchob V Singh SP Packaging performance comparison for distribution and export

of papaya fruit Packaging Technology and Science 2005 18 125ndash131

14 Jarimopas BPS Singh P Sayasoonthorn S Singh J Comparison of package cushioning

materials to protect post-harvest impact damage to apples Packaging Technology and

Science 2007 20 315ndash324

15 Chonhenchob V Kamhangwong D Singh SP Comparison of reusable and single-use

plastic and paper shipping containers for distribution of fresh pineapples Packaging

Technology and Science 2008 21 73ndash83

16 Rouillard V Sek MA Monitoring and simulating non-stationary vibrations for package

optimization Packaging Technology and Science 2000 13 149ndash156

17 Sek MA A modern technique of transportation simulation for package performance testing

Packaging Technology and Science 1996 9 327ndash343

18 Bernad C Laspalas A Gonzaacutelez D Liarte E Jimeacutenez MA Dynamic study of stacked

packaging units by operational modal analysis Packaging Technology and Science 2010

23 121ndash133

19 Ge C Model of accelerated vibration test Packaging Technology and Science 2000 13 7ndash

11

20 ASTM ASTM Standards Volume 1509 Packaging American Society of Testing and

Materials West Conshohocken PA 2003

21 Meilgaard M Civille GV Carr BT Affective tests consumer tests and in-house panel

acceptance tests In Sensory Evaluation Techniques 3rd edn CRC Press Boca Raton FL

1999 242ndash243

22 Perera CO Balchin L Baldwin E Stanley R Tian M Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on

the quality of fresh-cut apple slices Journal of Food Science 2003 68 1910ndash1914

23 Beaulieu JC Baldwin EA Flavor and aroma of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables In Fresh-cut

Fruits and Vegetables Lamikanra O (ed) CRC Press Boca Raton FL 2002 391ndash425

24 Chonhenchob V Chantarasomboon Y Singh SP Quality changes of treated fresh-cut

tropical fruits in rigid modified atmosphere packaging containers Packaging Technology

and Science 2007 20 27ndash37

9

8

7

~ 6 bull 5 0 8 4

3

2

9

8

7

6 sect ~

5

~ 4

3

2

I c NSCOntrol c EFCOntrol

c NSVlbratad I bull EF-Vlbnrted

rlf rfrt ~rt

~ ~ ~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE bag

I ONSCOntrol 0 E FCOntrol

0 NSVlbratad I bull EF-Vlbratad

rt~~ rfrt~ ~rt~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE beg

9

8

7

6 8 bull 5 I

~ 4

3

2

9

8 bull

8

7

~ 6

I 8

5

~ 4

~ 3 v ~ 2

I CN5-Control DEF~trol

CNSVlb111ted l bull EFmiddotVlblllted

~~~ rlli~ rht~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE bag 2 oz PE beg

I o NSCOntrol D E FCOntrol

0 NSVlblllted I bull EF-Vlbratad

~~~ rf~~ rt~~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE beg

Figure 1 Consumer panel sensory evaluation of the fresh-cut apple slices for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1- 9 hedonic scale (1 =dislike extremely 9 = like extremely) NS

NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene

40

35

l 30 c G) 25 -g c amp 20 Ill G) a 15 ltf 10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c -8 25 c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf

10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c

25 G) -g c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf 10

5

0

5oz PS Rigid ON~trol

0 NSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

21b PE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

2 ozPE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

- - J~ n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Overall acceptability score

Figure 2 Frequency distribution of the overall acceptability score of the consumer panel sensory evaluation NS NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene

14 Jarimopas BPS Singh P Sayasoonthorn S Singh J Comparison of package cushioning

materials to protect post-harvest impact damage to apples Packaging Technology and

Science 2007 20 315ndash324

15 Chonhenchob V Kamhangwong D Singh SP Comparison of reusable and single-use

plastic and paper shipping containers for distribution of fresh pineapples Packaging

Technology and Science 2008 21 73ndash83

16 Rouillard V Sek MA Monitoring and simulating non-stationary vibrations for package

optimization Packaging Technology and Science 2000 13 149ndash156

17 Sek MA A modern technique of transportation simulation for package performance testing

Packaging Technology and Science 1996 9 327ndash343

18 Bernad C Laspalas A Gonzaacutelez D Liarte E Jimeacutenez MA Dynamic study of stacked

packaging units by operational modal analysis Packaging Technology and Science 2010

23 121ndash133

19 Ge C Model of accelerated vibration test Packaging Technology and Science 2000 13 7ndash

11

20 ASTM ASTM Standards Volume 1509 Packaging American Society of Testing and

Materials West Conshohocken PA 2003

21 Meilgaard M Civille GV Carr BT Affective tests consumer tests and in-house panel

acceptance tests In Sensory Evaluation Techniques 3rd edn CRC Press Boca Raton FL

1999 242ndash243

22 Perera CO Balchin L Baldwin E Stanley R Tian M Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on

the quality of fresh-cut apple slices Journal of Food Science 2003 68 1910ndash1914

23 Beaulieu JC Baldwin EA Flavor and aroma of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables In Fresh-cut

Fruits and Vegetables Lamikanra O (ed) CRC Press Boca Raton FL 2002 391ndash425

24 Chonhenchob V Chantarasomboon Y Singh SP Quality changes of treated fresh-cut

tropical fruits in rigid modified atmosphere packaging containers Packaging Technology

and Science 2007 20 27ndash37

9

8

7

~ 6 bull 5 0 8 4

3

2

9

8

7

6 sect ~

5

~ 4

3

2

I c NSCOntrol c EFCOntrol

c NSVlbratad I bull EF-Vlbnrted

rlf rfrt ~rt

~ ~ ~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE bag

I ONSCOntrol 0 E FCOntrol

0 NSVlbratad I bull EF-Vlbratad

rt~~ rfrt~ ~rt~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE beg

9

8

7

6 8 bull 5 I

~ 4

3

2

9

8 bull

8

7

~ 6

I 8

5

~ 4

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I CN5-Control DEF~trol

CNSVlb111ted l bull EFmiddotVlblllted

~~~ rlli~ rht~

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I o NSCOntrol D E FCOntrol

0 NSVlblllted I bull EF-Vlbratad

~~~ rf~~ rt~~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE beg

Figure 1 Consumer panel sensory evaluation of the fresh-cut apple slices for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1- 9 hedonic scale (1 =dislike extremely 9 = like extremely) NS

NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene

40

35

l 30 c G) 25 -g c amp 20 Ill G) a 15 ltf 10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c -8 25 c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf

10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c

25 G) -g c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf 10

5

0

5oz PS Rigid ON~trol

0 NSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

21b PE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

2 ozPE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

- - J~ n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Overall acceptability score

Figure 2 Frequency distribution of the overall acceptability score of the consumer panel sensory evaluation NS NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene

23 Beaulieu JC Baldwin EA Flavor and aroma of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables In Fresh-cut

Fruits and Vegetables Lamikanra O (ed) CRC Press Boca Raton FL 2002 391ndash425

24 Chonhenchob V Chantarasomboon Y Singh SP Quality changes of treated fresh-cut

tropical fruits in rigid modified atmosphere packaging containers Packaging Technology

and Science 2007 20 27ndash37

9

8

7

~ 6 bull 5 0 8 4

3

2

9

8

7

6 sect ~

5

~ 4

3

2

I c NSCOntrol c EFCOntrol

c NSVlbratad I bull EF-Vlbnrted

rlf rfrt ~rt

~ ~ ~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE bag

I ONSCOntrol 0 E FCOntrol

0 NSVlbratad I bull EF-Vlbratad

rt~~ rfrt~ ~rt~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE beg

9

8

7

6 8 bull 5 I

~ 4

3

2

9

8 bull

8

7

~ 6

I 8

5

~ 4

~ 3 v ~ 2

I CN5-Control DEF~trol

CNSVlb111ted l bull EFmiddotVlblllted

~~~ rlli~ rht~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE bag 2 oz PE beg

I o NSCOntrol D E FCOntrol

0 NSVlblllted I bull EF-Vlbratad

~~~ rf~~ rt~~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE beg

Figure 1 Consumer panel sensory evaluation of the fresh-cut apple slices for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1- 9 hedonic scale (1 =dislike extremely 9 = like extremely) NS

NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene

40

35

l 30 c G) 25 -g c amp 20 Ill G) a 15 ltf 10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c -8 25 c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf

10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c

25 G) -g c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf 10

5

0

5oz PS Rigid ON~trol

0 NSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

21b PE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

2 ozPE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

- - J~ n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Overall acceptability score

Figure 2 Frequency distribution of the overall acceptability score of the consumer panel sensory evaluation NS NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene

9

8

7

~ 6 bull 5 0 8 4

3

2

9

8

7

6 sect ~

5

~ 4

3

2

I c NSCOntrol c EFCOntrol

c NSVlbratad I bull EF-Vlbnrted

rlf rfrt ~rt

~ ~ ~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE bag

I ONSCOntrol 0 E FCOntrol

0 NSVlbratad I bull EF-Vlbratad

rt~~ rfrt~ ~rt~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE beg

9

8

7

6 8 bull 5 I

~ 4

3

2

9

8 bull

8

7

~ 6

I 8

5

~ 4

~ 3 v ~ 2

I CN5-Control DEF~trol

CNSVlb111ted l bull EFmiddotVlblllted

~~~ rlli~ rht~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE bag 2 oz PE beg

I o NSCOntrol D E FCOntrol

0 NSVlblllted I bull EF-Vlbratad

~~~ rf~~ rt~~

5 oz PS rigid 2 lb PE beg 2 oz PE beg

Figure 1 Consumer panel sensory evaluation of the fresh-cut apple slices for colour texture flavour and overall acceptability on a 1- 9 hedonic scale (1 =dislike extremely 9 = like extremely) NS

NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene

40

35

l 30 c G) 25 -g c amp 20 Ill G) a 15 ltf 10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c -8 25 c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf

10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c

25 G) -g c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf 10

5

0

5oz PS Rigid ON~trol

0 NSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

21b PE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

2 ozPE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

- - J~ n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Overall acceptability score

Figure 2 Frequency distribution of the overall acceptability score of the consumer panel sensory evaluation NS NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene

40

35

l 30 c G) 25 -g c amp 20 Ill G) a 15 ltf 10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c -8 25 c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf

10

5

0

40

35

l 30 c

25 G) -g c amp 20 Ill

15 ltf 10

5

0

5oz PS Rigid ON~trol

0 NSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

21b PE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Overall acceptability score

2 ozPE bag ONSControl

ONSVIbrated

bullEF-Control

bull EF-VIbrated

- - J~ n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Overall acceptability score

Figure 2 Frequency distribution of the overall acceptability score of the consumer panel sensory evaluation NS NatureSeal EF Ever-Fresh PS polystyrene PE polyethylene